154 S E RM 0 N S upon Serin. XXII. Here I (hall enquire, i. What is the Spirit of Bondage ? 2. flow hit the fruit of the Lam -Coven ant ? 3. Whether it is good or bad? r- What is the Spirit .of Bondage ? Î'o open it, we mutt explain Three Things, The Nature of the Objeû: 2. The Work of the Spirit: 3. The Difpofition of man. t. The Nature of the Objet!: The-Law regtíiriog Duty of the faya-- ereature, and threatning punithment in cafe of difobedience : For the Law hath aTwofold Office, to convince of fin, Rom. 3. 20. Now by the Law only cometh the knowledg of fin: and to bind over to punifhment : Therefore 'cis laid, The lam worketh wrath, Rom. 4. 15. In both refpeets theOld Covenant is called the Law of fin and death, Rom. 8. 2. The Law, as a covenant of Works, is called a raw of Cain, becaufe it only lilewedòIIur fin; A l a Law of death, becaufe it bindeth us over to death. 2. The Work of the Spirit: Every Truth is quickaed by the Spirit; and made more powerful upon our hearts. The comfort which we have from the Truth of the Golpel, is by the Spirit , and therefore 'tis called Joy in the HolyOholt. So Law-Truths are ap- plied to the confcience by the Spirit, Jer. 3 e. 19. After I was inflrm:led, I fmote upon the thigh : and when the commandment came ; that. is, in the light and power of the Spirit, fin revived, and I died, Rom. 7.9. That is, was made fenfible of his finful and loft con- dition. And indeed theufual Work wherewith the Spirit beginnethwith men, is to thew them their fin and miCery, their alienation from God, and enmity to him, and infulûciency to help themfelves. 3. The difpofition of man, which is corrupted, under the workings of the Spirit of Bondage : And fo this Spirit of Bondage, or fervile Fear, worketh feveral ways, accord- ing to the Temper of men : Firq in thetprophane it giveth occaf, cf further finning, as confcience being awakened by the Spirit, urgeth eit e *' he Curfe : the Precept, as a Bullock at -firR yoking, groweth more =__.:_ r bvelleth when it meeteth with a dam andreftraint, Rom. 7. 5. For when wewerer<,5e flefb, the ,motions of fin, which were by the lam, di¢ work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death. Sin- ful pra &ices weremore irritated by the prohibitions and fo our obligation to death in- creafed : or elfe byurging the Curfe, which froduceth the fottith defpair, Jer. t 8.12. And they ¡aid, there is no hope ; we will walk after our devices. There is a double defpair, of pleating, or being accepted : There is a lazy fottifhdefpair, as well as a raging and tormenting defpair, by which men call off all care of the Souls wel- fare : There is Ito hope. Secondly, in a middle fort of men, that have a legal confcience it puts them upon fome duty andcourfe of fervice to God: But 'tis not done comforta- bly, nor upon any noblemottves : That which is defeaive in it, is this Firi, 'tis con- ftrained fervice : This Bondage, which isa fruit of the Law, doth force and compel men to Come unpleafing Task: A Chriltianferveth God out of love ; but one under the Spi. rit of Bondage ferveth God out of fear: A love to God and true hou ners, prevaileth with the one, more than the fear of wrath and punithment : for the Spirit of Adoption difpofeth and inclineth him to God, as a Father ; but one under the Spirit of Bondage, is forced to fubmit to Come kind of religioufnefs, for fear of being damned. Indeed both are conf rained, the oneby love, the other by fear, 2 Cor. 5. 14, only the conitraint of love is durable, and kindly, and fweet ; the other, his Task, is grievous and weari- Come, Mal. t. is. andholdethmofi in fit; when danger is nigh, they are frighted into fomedevotion, Pfal. 78. from 34, to 38. Secondly, That fervice which they are forced And compelled to yield to God, is outward Cervice and obedience, Ifa. 58. 7. hanging the head for a day, like a Bnlrufh 5 and as they do, Micah 6.7. offer Thoufands of Rams, and Ten Thoufands of. Rivers of Oyl, or the firR born of their body, for the fin of their fouls : 'Tis a Sin - Offering rather than a Thank Offering; more to appeafe conCci- ence, than to pleafe God ; confils in Rituals rather than Subfiantiáls; and thole invent- ed by men, rather than commanded by God: Whereas the trueChri(lian is otherwife de- fcribed, Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcifton which worfhip God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Chrift jefus, and have no confidence in the fiefh. But the falfe Chriftian is one (Matth. 15. 8.) that draweth nigh to God with the mouth, but their heart is far from him: their heart is averfe fromGod, titothey mutt have an outward Religion to rei in : and Co they ferve God not as children do a father, but as llaves ferve an hard and cruel matter. Thirdly, In fome theLord may make ufe of it to bring on converfion : for according to our
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